Pharmacist Salary in North Carolina: $143,000 Average

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Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET

Average base salary, North Carolina

$143,000 / year

≈ $11,900 per month · $68.75 per hour

LocationOr metro areaOr industry (Grahall)Or city (Grahall)

BLS May 2025 state data for North Carolina · median $143,500

25th percentile
$133,000Average
$143,00075th percentile
$164,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Pharmacist salary by state

Alabama$137,500

Alaska$167,000

Arizona$147,500

Arkansas$140,500

California$168,000

Colorado$156,000

Connecticut$144,000

Delaware$152,500

District of Columbia$150,000

Florida$134,500

Georgia$141,500

Hawaii$158,500

Idaho$144,500

Illinois$143,000

Indiana$145,000

Iowa$143,000

Kansas$141,000

Kentucky$141,500

Louisiana$135,000

Maine$143,500

Maryland$145,500

Massachusetts$143,500

Michigan$140,000

Minnesota$152,000

Mississippi$135,000

Missouri$142,000

Montana$142,000

Nebraska$141,000

Nevada$144,500

New Hampshire$145,500

New Jersey$146,500

New Mexico$148,000

New York$145,000

North Carolina$143,000

North Dakota$142,000

Ohio$137,000

Oklahoma$138,500

Oregon$165,000

Pennsylvania$143,500

Rhode Island$127,500

South Carolina$141,500

South Dakota$147,500

Tennessee$136,000

Texas$142,500

Utah$143,000

Vermont$145,500

Virginia$147,000

Washington$164,500

West Virginia$136,000

Wisconsin$151,000

Wyoming$144,500

About this role

Pharmacist is a professional role within the function in the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Pharmacists do

Typical education: Doctoral Degree

Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
Assess the identity, strength, or purity of medications.
Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions.
Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, or registries of poisons, narcotics, or controlled drugs.

Top skills: Speaking Reading Comprehension Active Listening Writing Monitoring Critical Thinking

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Pharmacist pay by experience level

Entry level$103,000

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$134,000

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$146,000

Mid-career median pay

Senior$167,500

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$180,500

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+4.6%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

14,200

projected openings per year

Growing about as fast as average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Pharmacist salary by industry

Health and Personal Care Retailers

121,990 workers

$135,500

Health and Personal Care Retailers

121,990 workers

$135,500

Hospitals

102,470 workers

$156,000

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

95,760 workers

$156,000

Hospitals, Privately Owned

85,880 workers

$154,500

General Merchandise Retailers

20,690 workers

$148,000

Food and Beverage Retailers

19,700 workers

$142,500

Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only)

19,700 workers

$142,500

Ambulatory Health Care Services

18,640 workers

$157,500

Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS

9,550 workers

$152,000

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Pharmacist pays 10% below the average across 91 roles in the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family (family average $162,000).

Similar-paying roles in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Anesthesiologist Assistant$146,000

Optometrist$146,500

Veterinarian$147,500

Nurse Practitioner$142,000

Medical Dosimetrist$153,500

Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$132,000

Radiation Therapist$119,000

Podiatrist$181,500

Physical Therapist$109,000

Genetic Counselor$108,500

Careers related to Pharmacist

Emergency Medicine Physician$328,500

Nurse Practitioner$142,000

Family Medicine Physician$265,000

Registered Nurse$105,000

Physician Assistant$146,000

General Internal Medicine Physician$276,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Pharmacist make?

The average base salary for a Pharmacist in the United States is $146,000 per year, or about $70.19 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $134,000 and $167,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical roles?

The Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family averages $162,000 across 91 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
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